Re: Whitewall Fuels

From: Steve Honey <drfegg_at_...>
Date: Wed, 02 Mar 2005 15:39:12 -0000

wrote:
>
> Peat bogs grow continously - I don't know at what rate. An uncut
peat
> bog develops over the years into a domed shape and can be 10s of
feet
> above the level of the lake it originally formed in.

Yes, but that would be low lying bogs. Upland bogs are blanket bogs and are effectivly man made formed after tree clearing in the neolithic. A bog takes about 5000 years to be mature and useful and about 3m thick.
Cutting for fuel started in the 17th Century in Ireland which begs the question, what did they use before this? 50% of the peat bogs have been destroyed in northen Ireland after only 300 years and Ireland has the largest bogs in Europe (bar Finland). The small bog suggested by the maps wouldn't last even that long as Blanket (upland) bog peat is not as good as the low level raised bogs for fuel and therefore more would be needed to generate the same amount of heat. A peat bog grows at a rate of 1mm per year. Given that it has only been 300 years for the bogs in Ireland to be cut in half I guess the bog at WW would be much, much smaller. Like I said perhaps another reason WW fell from grace.

>In Ireland, stories are told about bogs that got up and moved
>elsewhere - one bog
> in a relatively inaccessible place grew to the point that it slid
out
> of its hollow on a hill side and slid down the hill.
> Lots of opportunity here.

Love that! Steve McQueen and the Blob! On a more serious note RW bogs were seen as mystical gates to the Underworld inhabited by Whisps, Black Dogs and all manor of nasties.

>If Gloranthan peat bogs are analogous to the
> RW then most of the bogs will have formed since the Dawn. What sort
of
> aldryami would be attracted to a bog?

I haven't got my Gloranthan books to hand but I believe Red Elves live in marsh lands.

So IMHO the two scenarios which are most plausible for the fuel problem are as follows.

1. The peat bog was used as fuel. People didn't like the smokey fires and the lack of ventilation in the Halls didn't help. After several centeries (if that long) the bog is nearly exhausted and fuel supplies became erratic as trade routes changed. People moved away then the Lunars turned up...
2. The peat bog was not the main source of fuel. It burns poorly, it's smokey and you try forging a sword on a peat fire! Something else is needed (charcoal?). The Orlanthi used the bog for initiation rites or just avoided it for superstitious reasons, not as a fuel source.

A scenario idea could be a bunch of Orlanthi trying to find bog-iron in order to make some anti Lunar/Bat weapon. What ever happens IMG there will be charcoal stored along side the grain in the cisterns it just seems more plausible. What royal houses do you know of which used peat? Just seems such a poor choice for such a significantly religious site.

Steve, Charcoal Advisory Board.